About this project
PenDraft brings the same philosophy as CoffeeDraft to Markdown writing: open a URL, start writing, keep everything private. No accounts, no subscriptions, no cloud sync unless you want it.
Markdown has become the universal language for technical writing, documentation, and content creation. Yet most editors either lack features writers need or bury them behind paywalls. PenDraft aims to be the free, browser-based alternative that doesn't compromise on functionality.
The editor builds on lessons learned from CoffeeDraft's modular parser architecture. Real-time preview, syntax highlighting, and export options — all running entirely in your browser.
Features
- Live preview with split-pane or toggle view
- Full CommonMark and GitHub Flavored Markdown support
- Export to HTML, PDF, and plain text
- Frontmatter support for static site generators
- Local file handling — open, edit, save directly
- Zero data collection, works offline once loaded
The Publishing Vision
PenDraft isn't just an editor — it's a potential publishing platform. The long-term goal is direct integration with GitHub, letting writers draft in PenDraft and publish to their static sites with a single click.
Write a blog post, add frontmatter, hit publish. PenDraft commits to your repo, your site rebuilds automatically. No command line, no file management, no context switching.
This integration powers my own workflow with Thorsten.info and will eventually be available to anyone who writes for the web.
Part of the Draft Family
PenDraft joins CoffeeDraft and CaveDraft as browser-based writing tools. Same principles across all three: instant access, complete privacy, professional output. Different formats, consistent experience.